Knockdown trestle.



Patentgd Apr. 3, |9no.

B. E. CFIQNKHITE.y KNUCKDOWN T RESTLE.

(Application led Hay 4, 1899.)

(No Modal.)

m: Nonms PETERS co.. Fumo-umu. wAsmNGro, ov c.

. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 3 'is a planview ofthe cross-beams, inV

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

BYRON E. CRONKIIITE, OF ROSSVILLE, ILLINOIS.

"KNo'cKDowN TRESTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.' 646,620, dated April 3, 1900. l Application tied nay-1.17899. sentir. 715,502. cromati) T0 all whom/jtjmtyonoern: i

Be it known that I, BYRON E. CRONKHITE, a resident of Rossviile, int-he county of. Vermilion and State of Illinois,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Trestles, of which the following is a specification.` f v My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in trestles, such as are usedv by lathers, plasterers,.paper-hangers, and decorators generally, and-pis design ed to produce a trestle which can be quickly taken to pieces, so as toconsistof a few separatepieces which;

will pack together readily'and'occ'upy aver'y -small space in transportation orstorage, and

which lcan be assembled with'e'qual facility, so as` to form a perfectly-rigid support.

the ordinary able trestle, I V in an extensible and adjustable trestle, such as shown in the patentgranted to Ritter, '.No. 590,278, datedSeptember 21, 1897.

Referring to the sheet of drawings, in which the same letters of reference arev used to designate identicalV parts `in all the views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a complete trestle. one portion-of it.

which the full lines show themin the closedup position of Fig. 1 and the dotted-lines'show them in an' extended position. Fig. Il is an inverted plan view, on a larger scale, of one of the cross-beams. of one end of the cross-beams. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the hinge joining the legs. Fig. 7 is a central section through said hinge, showing a portion of one of the legs in elevation. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one ofthe braces, the central part being broken away. Fig. 9 is a similar plan view of the same parts detached. Fig. 10 is a sectional view,- on a larger scale, on the line 10 10vof Fig. 2, showing especially the location of the eyes by which the lower end of the brace is secured. Fig. 11 is a sectional View on the line 11 11 of Fig. 1, but on a larger scale. Fig. 12 is a plan view of the lower section of the adjustable leg, and Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing the details of the mechanism for holding the brace in position. y

Fig. 5 is aside elevation' sides of the hooks.

The cross-beam A is conveniently oonstructed of two-by-four material, and in the extensible form shown the inner end of each secu-rely on a level in any positionof extension in which the trestlemay beplaced. At the' outer ends of the cross-beams Aare secured ends arranged, as shown especially in Fig. 5,

D for the purposey to be presently described.

yInline with the center of the notch D and at a suitable distance therefrom is bored the'hole E. Secured 'near the inner end of the sec` upper endsvbeveled-off, as at H, and just at the termination ofthe beveled portion-theyv are connected by thejhinge J, the flattened `the retaining-plates C, which have theirinner 'at a lower level and provided with the notch ,A

i tion isthe staple F. The legs G have their While my improvements areapplicablet'o y non-extensible and non-adjusthave shown them as embodied leaves or straps-of which consist of thehorizontal portions K and the subst-antially-verticalr portions L.: The knuckles of this hinge are of the*ordin'aryconstruction; lout-I preferably form the pin M with an upturned portion N. (Best shown in Fig. 7, where the relation ofthe cross-beam to thelegs and hinge is clearly shown and Whereit will be seen that the retaining-plate C has its hooked portion passing underneath the horizontal portions K of the leaves of the hinge, the notch D being necessary to accommodate the knuckle.) The upturned end N of the pin takesinto the hole I E, and it will be seen thatas long as the end N ofthe pinris retained in the hole E the legs are securely fastened to the'cross-beam. For the purpose of retaining these parts in position, as well as for strengthening the structure, the brace O is employed, and this is prothe cross-beam A is-placed on the ground with its bottom side up and the legs G are pushed vided at its upper endrwith a strap P of the IOO into position, with the retaining-plate C engaging the hinge J and the end N of the pin taking into the hole E. The hooks U are then passed through the eyes V, and the end Q of the strap P is pushed into the staple F, and the catch R being swung into position prevents the accidental disengagement of the parts. If the extensible form of trestle is employed, the two halves are placed together, and it will be seen that an extremely-rigid trcstle is produced and one in which all the strain received in the ordinary usage tends to fasten the parts more securely together.

I have illustrated my improvements as applied to the structure of the aforesaid patent, in which the legs G have cooperating therewith the outer vertically-adjustable portions W, which are provided with the hook X, which cooperates with some one of the rods or bolts Y, passing through the legs G, the hook X taking intol the slot Z, formed in the leg proper, G. The lower ends of the legs G have securely fastened thereto the clamping-piece A', the main portion of which is of a substantially U -shaped form and has pivoted thereto the swinging latch B, which catches over the other end of the main portion A and is secured in place by the cam-piece C. It will be seen that at whatever position the legs are placed the hooks X will cooperate with the pins -Y and prevent their being separated so long as the clamping member A' holds the legs G and the extensions W in contact, and the greater the pressure on the cross-beam A the more rmly the legs proper and the eX- tensions will be held together. I conveniently attach the eyes V to the'inner side of the clamping member A', making the eyes rigid therewith or securing them thereto, asmay be desired.

It will be seen that the trestle which I have thus produced is one of great utility on account of its compactness when its parts are knocked down and because it can be adjusted to any desired height or length or with the ends at different heights. l

Vhile I have shown my invention as embodied in the form which I at present consider best adapted to carry out its purposes, it will be understood that it is capable of some modi fications and that I do not desire to be limited in the interpretation of the following claims, except as maybe necessitated by the state of the art.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. In a device of the class described, the combination of the cross-beam, with the legs having the beveled surfaces II cooperating with the sides of a cross-beam, and the hinge J permanently connecting the legs and directly supporting the cross-beam, and the retaining-plate C cooperating directly with the hinge to prevent the accidental separation of the legs and cross-beam, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of the cross-beam, with the legs having the beveled surfaces H cooperating with the sides of the cross-beam, and the hinge J permanently connecting the legs beneath said beveled surfaces and directly supporting the cross-beam, the retaining-plate C cooperating directly with the hinge and the pin N cooperating with the aperture E to prevent the accidental separation of the legs and cross-beam, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of the cross-beam A having the retaining-plate C secured on the under side ,'thereof, with the legs G having the beveled surfaces II cooperating with the sides of the beam A, and the hinge J permanently connecting the legs beneath said beveled surfaces and directly supporting the cross-beam, said hinge consisting of the substantially-vertical portions L to which t-he legs are attached and the horizontal portions K upon which the cross-beam rests and beneath which the plate C passes, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of the cross-beam, with the legs connected by the hinge, and means secured to the beam for detachably engaging said hinge, said means comprising the retainingplate C engaging the hinge, and the pin N on the hinge engaging the aperture E in the cross-beam. l

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of the cross-beam, with the legs having the beveled ends at H, the hinge J having the horizontal portions K together equal to the thickness of the cross-beam, and the vertical portions L by which it is secured to the legs, connections for detachably securing the cross-beam to the hinge, comprising the retaining-plate C cooperating with said horizontal portions K of the hinge J, and means for holding the legs apart with their beveled ends II resting against the sides of the cross-beam.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of the cross-beam A, with the legs G having the beveled ends at II, the hinge J having the horizontal portions K and together equal to the thickness of the crossbeam A, and the vertical portions L by which it is secured to the legs, connections for detachably securing the cross-beam to the hinge comprising the retaining-plate C engaging the horizontal portions K of the hinge and the pin N cooperating with the aperture E in the cross-beam, and means for holding the legs G apart with their beveled ends I'I resting against the sides of the cross-beam A.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of the cross beam, with the hinged legs cooperating therewith, connections for detachably securing said cross-beam and the legs, the brace for holding the legs apart and preventing the accidental disen- IOO IIO

gagement of said connections, and means for staple F, and the catch R coperating theredetachably engaging. one end of said brace with, substantially as described. with lche legs comprising the hooks Uvcoperabing with the eyes V, and means for `de- BYRON E' ORONKHITE' 5 tachably engaging the other end of said brace Witnesses:

with the cross-beanieonsisting of the plate ADAM HOOVER, B P having lhe nose Q engaging Wit-h the y A. M. DAVIS. 

